Digital technology interventions for communication skills in persons with neurodevelopmental disorders: a scoping...

Individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD) frequently experience severe communication impairments. Digital Assistive Technologies (DAT) have emerged as promising tools to address these challenges.

The present scoping review aims to map the existing scientific literature on the use of DAT in fostering communication skills among individuals with NDD.

Studies were included if they: (1) involved participants with NDD, (2) implemented DAT interventions for communication skills, and (3) were published between 2009 and 2024.

A systematic search was conducted across two electronic databases (ERIC and PubMed).

Data extraction focused on participant characteristics, types of DAT interventions, communication outcomes, and implementation settings, following PRISMA guidelines for scoping reviews.

The review identified 103 eligible studies, predominantly focusing on children with autism (56 %) and intellectual disability (33.3 %). Most interventions utilized augmentative and alternative communication devices and speech-generating devices. Studies reported significant improvements in communication skills, particularly in requesting (41 studies), commenting (23 studies), intraverbal skills (34 studies), and listener responses (33 studies).

While DAT shows promise in enhancing communication skills, significant research gaps exist regarding its impact on different age groups, particularly adults. Limited sample sizes and narrow focus on specific communication skills restrict generalizability. Future research should explore DAT effectiveness across diverse populations and develop comprehensive, individualized intervention plans.